Investigators from the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) arrested a 70-year-old North Lakes man on Friday 14 February 2014 with 54 offences relating to the alleged possession and transmission of online child abuse images.
The CMC’s Cerberus Team, a multidisciplinary crime fighting unit dedicated to investigating internet-based offending, repeat offenders and paedophile networks, made the arrest following a four-month investigation which commenced in October 2013.
The CMC executed a search warrant on 14 February 2014 at a house in North Lakes where computer equipment was seized for the purpose of a forensic examination.
The CMC’s Acting Assistant Commissioner Crime, Mr Michael Scott, said internet-based paedophilia is a focus of law enforcement to prevent criminals of all ages exploiting children in Queensland, Australia and internationally.
“The internet creates a platform for paedophiles to engage in criminal conduct, including the transmission and possession of child exploitation material. The CMC’s Cerberus Team specialises in disrupting the activity of paedophiles and investigates this conduct to ensure offenders are brought before the Courts.
“Just like the off-line environment, the online environment attracts criminals of all ages and law enforcement is required to investigate these offenders too. Last week the CMC also arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly distributing child exploitation material and now we’ve arrested a 70-year-old man.
“The CMC’s investigators continue to hunt those who engage in this online criminal behaviour.”
The 70-year-old North Lakes man was formally arrested and charged on Friday 14 February 2014 with:
- 1 x 228D Possess Child Exploitation Material (Criminal Code Act 1899)
- 2 x 474.19(1) Use a Carriage service to Make Available Child Pornography (Commonwealth Criminal Code 1995)
- 51 x 474.19(1) Use a Carriage service to Transmit Child Pornography (Commonwealth Criminal Code 1995)
The 70-year-old man appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday 15 February 2014 and was granted conditional bail. He is expected to reappear on 14 March 2014.
CMC investigations into online paedophilia continue.
